Thank You Liam

Of course, I think kids are amazing.  That is why I do the work I do.  This week I was blessed to spend 6 days with my 4.5 month old nephew in Northern MI.  I just want to take this moment to thank and honor all of our children for the teachers they are in our lives.  Liam teaches me about patience and unconditional love.  I took care of his mother so many years ago as I was a teeenager during her growing years (my sister).  I know it is also due to my sisters that I do my work in this world, but it is such a gift to me to enjoy my nephew/godson.  I just want to take this time and have you take the next few minutes to sit/breathe/meditate on the gifts that all the children in your life have given you.  I will always contend that they are our greatest teachers.  I want to thank and honor all the children in the world.  We must also remember that at one time, we all were those little children teaching the adults in our lives.  

Aunt Shannon;)

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The Art of Observing and the Present Moment

Yesterday I posted about compassion.  Having compassion for ourselves.  So, you may be asking, “how exactly do we do that?””.  I want to make this very simple.  I want everyone to have access to all you deserve in your life.  I truly believe that involves compassion for yourself.  To do this, we must observe ourselves.

If you take time to pretend you are outside of yourself watching and observing yourself, this is the  key.  You can then see all the great things about you and you can have compassion for yourself.  It also allows you to remove yourself from the emotion you are having and just observe your situation. 

I have heard very positive success stories about just observing rather than getting “caught up” in circumstance.  Circumstances are only temporary.  It is also true that you only have the present moment and if you can just be there life is ok in that moment. 

This can also work in our daily lives with our children.  Just observe your behavior with your children and see if it is healthy.  Remember to enjoy that present moment with your child and life will have a new perspective. 

Each time life feels overwhelming or you are not being compassionate with yourself, move to observance of you, all you have accomplished and all that you are.  This will shift your life over time. 

To you and your life,

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Thanksreceiving

So today on this day of Thanks in the United States, I have been pondering…… I received wonderful emails, I took my time to give thanks and I am in a space of contemplation. 

When we go through difficult times in life, like divorce, the end of relationship, or other difficult events, it can be hard to feel thankful and feel real about that thankfulness.  We know it is something we are supposed to do but truly deep down are we thankful or are we covering up other feelings (sadness, anger,etc.) by saying we are thankful?  I am a person who deeply values honesty and I believe it is crucial to be honest with ourselves.  It is imporatnt to be real. 

For me today what is the truth for me is that my true thanks came from receiving.  When we go through a challenging time, we need to receive.  We need to receive love and support from others.  Truly, we must also receive this love and support from ourselves.  In speaking with my wonderful friend Susan today, I received from her and this allowed me to feel  truly grateful.  Sometimes, in challenging times we truly do not have much to give so I believe we must focus on receiving for a while until we can once again give.  I give a lot to others but sometimes I have been made aware that I do not always receive so well.   I know this is something I want to focus on more in the future. 

It is so important to focus on receiving, being patient with ourselives, forgiving ourselves, and allowing ourselves to have  emotions.   During challenging times we must receive compassion from ourselves.  We must allow ourselves to be human with all our issues, faults, unperfect behaviors and mistakes that we make.  We are perfect as we are. 

This  Thanksgiving I ask you to sit in contemplation and be compassionate with you, the most perfect person with all your human faults and issues.  You are perfect just as you are.  Once you truly receive  this, you are on the road to compassion, first for you and then for others.   With compassion, all things are possible.    May you receive all things possible for you in this lifetime.

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Shannon’s Blog

In this blog, Shannon provides tips to the community regarding taking care of YOU during this time. This is truly one of the most important things you can do during this time. Shannon believes that being kind and gentle to yourself are keys to your healing. Forgiveness is also very important. Follow Shannon as she discusses all of these very important life coaching and parent coaching topics.

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